This disclosure relates generally to a lighting fixture, and more particularly to a lighting fixture assembly that may have various interchangeable decorative outer housings to present different appearances.
Lighting fixtures are used to illuminate various areas. Lighting fixtures have a light source within a housing and are connected to a source of energy to operate the light source. Examples of light sources are incandescent bulbs, high intensity discharge (HID) bulbs, and light emitting diode (LED) devices. Each of these particular light sources requires different internal components to provide energy to operate the light source. For example, an LED device may include internal components such as an array of LEDs and a heat sink. In view of this, various different fixtures are required to accommodate the various light sources and their internal components.
Known lighting fixtures are selected and used by lighting designers, decorators, architects, and other individuals for various purposes. For example, a downlight lighting fixture is used to illuminate an area in a downward direction. A wall washer lighting fixture may be used to highlight or emphasize artwork hanging on a particular wall. A floodlight can be employed for general lighting of an area. As can be appreciated, the various known lighting fixtures may take on various appearances, structures, and constructions.
However, if it is decided to change a light fixture various problems ensue. One problem is that once a light fixture is mounted in place in order to remove the fixture the entire fixture must be removed. This will require that a completely new light fixture be used to replace the removed light fixture. Since the removed light fixture may still be fully operational and functional the removed light fixture will be wasted. Also, in removing the light fixture, the surrounding area, such as drywall, painted surfaces, and textured surfaces, may be damaged. This will require additional labor, time, and expense in repairing the damaged areas. Further, an electrician will be required to safely remove the existing light fixture and wire the new light fixture. In view of this, if a change in the appearance of an existing light fixture is desired, due to the various problems in removing an existing lighting fixture, the lighting designer, decorator, architect, or individual may decide to forgo the change.
It would therefore be desirable to have a lighting fixture that can accommodate various different decorative outer housings to be able to change the decorative outer housings without having to remove an existing lighting fixture or to completely disassemble the lighting fixture. The present disclosure is designed to obviate and overcome many of the disadvantages and shortcomings experienced with prior lighting fixtures. Moreover, the present disclosure is related to an interchangeable lighting assembly that can be used to change various decorative outer housings to present various different looking lighting fixtures as may be desired. The interchangeable lighting assembly of the present disclosure is also simple to assemble and disassemble in order to change various decorative outer housings that may be used with the assembly.